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Sunday, December 31, 2006

Metro cop caught trying to sneak alcohol onto Beach

By Odette Ismail31 December 2006

An off-duty Metro Police officer was caught trying to take alcohol onto Clifton’s fourth beach, by a colleague.

After he was told that the alcohol would be confiscated, he took out proof that he was an officer. He threatened his colleague who then fined him.

The Metro police officer threatened the officer who approached him, because he refused to accept the fine.

The internal affairs unit will be investigating the incident. He will now face a disciplinary action.

JP Smith, chairman of the city’s safety portfolio committee told the Weekend Argus that Metro police should be setting an example.

Smith also says an investigation into a captain based at Camps Bay is taking place. It is believed that the captain returned confiscated alcohol to people drinking in public.

Police arrest suspects in fraudulent credit card bust

The police arrested six people and seized electronic equipment that was used to manufacture and reproduce fraudulent credit cards at a house in North Street, Table view.

The arrest followed after police received information from the public. After investigation into the matter, a search-and-seizure operation was conducted this morning.

Detectives assigned to the case arrested three males (aged 22, 38 and 64 years old) and three females (aged 22, 28 and 60 years old) that were found on the premises. They also seize two unlicensed firearms and electronic equipment to a value that could exceed R200 000.

The suspects are scheduled to appear at the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court tomorrow.

Saddam’s death sentence to go ahead

By Nadia Samie27 December 2006

Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein could be hanged on anytime over the next 30 days, after an appeal against his execution failed. Saddam was sentenced by an Iraqi court for killings in the town of Dujail in 1982.

The BBC reports that under Iraqi law the execution must go ahead regardless of the fact that he is currently on trial in a second case in connection with a military campaign against Kurdish communities in the 1980s.

The time and location of Saddam’s execution has not been made public. It is thought that this will only be revealed after the former president is dead, in an attempt to avoid unrest.

There has been mixed reaction to the sentence. The US government has hailed the ruling a landmark in Iraq's efforts "to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of law". A number of groups have complained about the legality of the proceedings, including US-based Human Rights Watch. Meanwhile, India has called for clemency and the European Union (EU) has urged Iraq not to carry out the death sentence.

According to the BBC, Saddam Hussein's lawyer, Khalil al-Dulaimi, said that the court's verdict "was expected".

"We were not at all surprised, as we are convinced that this has been — 100% — a political trial," he said.

Thousands of fish wash up at Rietvlei

A clean-up operation will be taking place in the next two days around the banks of the Rietvlei Wetland Reserve near Table view. This is due to tons of fish washing up on the river bank.

Dalton Gibbs of the City of Council says the water body used for recreational purposes, has been closed to the public. The water poses a threat to drinking water in the areas closer to the residential areas.

He says the fish in the wetland area died from various factors. The high nutrient levels with calm conditions and high temperatures contributed to the fish deaths. This caused high bacterial activity which suppressed oxygen in the water.

He says the operation will take place with two days of cleaning together with the City’s Disaster management team.

Police infuriated by pranksters

By Nadia Samie26 December 2006

Emergency services, including the police, have complained that the number of prank calls they are receiving has drastically increased over the festive season, resulting in people with genuine emergencies being unable to get through to the call centres.

Capt Jabulani Mdletshe, spokesperson for the Umfolozi area, says that the upsurge in prank calls occurred at the beginning of the school holidays. He says that this is a crucial time of the year when emergency services need to be on full alert, but call centres are being plagued by pranksters.

Most of the prank calls are made from public phone booths in shopping malls, making them difficult to trace. Mdletshe says that the polices 10111 number has particularly been abused by children, who sometimes call in and verbally abuse police officers or switchboard operators.

Parents have been urged to talk to their children about the importance of the emergency numbers to prevent further increases in prank calls – which result in lost productivity from the emergency services staff who have to deal with these calls.

Matric results out on Thursday

By Nadia Samie26 December 2006

The Minister of Education Naledi Pandor will officially release the 2006 Senior Certificate (matric) Results on Thursday, the 28th December 2006 in Parliament.

The Education Department said last week that it was confident that the class of 2006 would outperform their last year’s matrics. Last year’s matrics achieved a 68,3 percent matric pass rate. This year, 742 289 pupils sat for the exam.

Pychologists have warned that this is a stressful time for learners, as they depend on these marks to get into tertiary education institutions. An increase in teen suicides is often reported at this time of the year.

The class of 2006 has been nicknamed "Madiba's Children", because they started school in a newly democratic South Africa in 1995 with Nelson Mandela as state president.

Monday, December 25, 2006

Don't drink and walk

By Nadia Samie25 December 2006Emergency workers say that it is not just the consequences of drinking and driving that they have to contend with, but with drinking and walking as well. More than half of all road casualties are pedestrians. Wilfred Solomons from the city’s disaster risk management services has urged Cape Town’s residents and visitors to celebrate responsibly this festive season.

“A few drinks to celebrate can sometimes lead to a situation where people may not be as careful as they should be when crossing roads or even walking near busy roads,” Solomons said.

“Fire and ambulance crews were well placed to warn the public of the dangers of drink-driving and drink-walking. These men and women see the direct results of serious accidents people have when they have a few drinks and then use the roads, sometimes because people have let their guard down during festivities.

“Christmas and New Year are usually very busy times for fire and ambulance crews – please don’t make it any busier for these hard-working, dedicated people by being careless,” he said.

Pope remembers the poor on Christmas Day

By Nadia Samie25 December 2006

In his midnight mass address in the Vatican City, Pope Benedict urged congregants to remember those less fortunate on Christmas day. The pope said the image of the baby Jesus in a manger should remind everyone of the plight of poor, abused and neglected children all over the world.

This is the 79-year-old Pope’s second Christmas since his pontification, and 10 000 faithful celebrated the mass in St Peter's Basilica in Rome with him. Thousands more watched the proceedings on big screens erected outside.

Pope Benedict said that the real spirit of Christmas was a commitment to "overcome prejudices, break down barriers and eliminate situations that pitted individuals and people against each other in order to build a world of justice and peace together".

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Police sergeant arrested for corruption

By Chanel September24 September 2006

This past week a Delft police sergeant was arrested on charges of corruption, fraud and defeating the ends of justice.

Sergeant Zhonnie Lucas was arrested on Wednesday night. The arrest followed after the recently appointed Station Commissioner, Director Mbulelo Manci, instituted an investigation into irregularities pertaining to the bail conditions register at the police station.

Police spokesperson Superintendant Billy Jones says that it is alleged that the sergeant assisted a suspect in a Fraud case to violate his bail conditions.

Lucas also allegedly fraudulently produced another bail conditions file stating that the suspect never violated his bail conditions imposed by the court. He reportedly went to the court to testify in defence of the suspect that he complied with his bail conditions.

Lucas was granted R1000 bail in the Bellville Magistrates Court.

The process of a possible suspension of the sergeant has been instituted by the Police station management.

Saturday, December 23, 2006

New developments in top musician's murder

By Tarryn Le Chat23 December 2006

As the first news of the murder of theatre and music personality Taliep Petersen broke last weekend, both friends and family blamed the high crime rate in South Africa. However, it now appears that this was no random attack.

As the week unfolded and more details of the attack emerged, it became clear that the killing of Petersen, 56, was a well-planned and organised hit and the initial appearance of robbery was intended to throw police off the killers trail.

As relatives poured out their hearts to the press and police hunted for clues it became apparent that hired hit men were behind Petersen’s murder.

In May he received death threats against himself and his family that he took so seriously that he resigned as a judge in the Afrikaans Idols series.

Then in June, there was a domestic dispute at his home during which Petersen was stabbed in the neck.

A relative, who has gone into hiding, has given police a sworn statement implicating several people known to the family.

Man arrested for conveying dagga

A 49-year-old man was arrested yesterday at the Maser Bridge border post after he was found with dagga with an estimated street value of R2.4 million in the Free State.

Free State police superintendent Motarafi Ntepe said three policemen on patrol at the border approached the driver of a truck and requested to search it. They found 182 bags of dagga which they confiscated.

'Drunken' police chief involved in car crash

Ekurhuleni Mayor Duma Nkosi has offered his full support for his chief of police, Robert McBride, following allegations that McBride had been drinking when he was involved in a car crash on Thursday.

At a long awaited press conference yesterday – 20 hours after McBride’s car rolled near Pretoria – Nkosi said it “disturbed” him that witnesses at the scene had claimed McBride had been drinking.

When the accident happened, said Nkosi, McBride was coming from a year-end function for the Ekurhuleni Metro Police. He left the party to respond to an emergency call from a ward councillor concerning reactions by the Eden Park community over harassment and eviction issues.

Angry witnesses claim McBride was so incoherent he could not even tell them whether he was driving alone.

Fellow police officers arrived on the scene. The officers helped McBride to the Golf. At that point McBride was allegedly asking about his gun, which apparently was in the car.

It was alleged by the witnesses that the officers on the scene “assaulted” them for wanting to take pictures.

Delft policeman defeats ends of justice

By Chanel September23 September 2006

This past week a Delft police sergeant was arrested on charges of corruption, fraud and defeating the ends of justice.

Sergeant Zhonnie Lucas was arrested on Wednesday night. The arrest followed after the recently appointed Station Commissioner, Director Mbulelo Manci, instituted an investigation into irregularities pertaining to the bail conditions register at the police station.

Police Spokesperson Billy Jones says that it is alleged that the sergeant assisted a suspect in a Fraud case to violate his bail conditions.

Lucas also allegedly fraudulently produced another bail conditions file stating that the suspect never violated his bail conditions imposed by the court. He reportedly went to the court to testify in defence of the suspect that he complied with his bail conditions.

Lucas was granted R1000 bail in the Bellville Magistrates Court.

The process of a possible suspension of the sergeant has been instituted by the Police station management.

Be water-wise this festive season

By Nadia Samie21 December 2006

Cape Town’s dam levels are currently 84% full, but with summer temperatures hitting the 30 degrees mark, water demand from the city’s approximately 3,2 million residents is also at its highest. With the influx of visiters over the festive season, an added strain will be felt on the already limited water resources.

Earlier this year the city promulgated two new by-laws which are aimed at promoting water management habits and practices. The Water By-law and the Wastewater and Industrial Effluent By-law incorporate most of the restrictive measures introduced during the previous dry spells in the metropole.

Water wastage, pollution and any other cases of non-compliance with the new water bylaws can be reported by calling the water services technical operations centre on 0860 10 30 54.

The two new by-laws provide in short for:

No watering of gardens between 10:00 and 16:00

Hosepipes must be fitted with automatic self-closing devices

Potable water may not be used to damp building sand and other building material to prevent it from being blown away

No automatic top up systems using a float valve fed from a potable water source are allowed to supply swimming pools and garden pools

No person may hose down a hard-surface or paved area using potable water, without prior written notice

No automatic cistern or tipping tank may be used for flushing a urinal

Major water users (using more than 3650 Kl per annum), excluding multiple dwellers’ units, must undertake an annual water audit

Commercial car wash industries must re-cycle a minimum of 50% of the water used in their operations

Water closet cisterns may not exceed 9.5 litres in capacity

The maximum flow rate from a tap installed in a wash hand basin may not exceed 6 litres per minute

No person supplied with water in terms of this by-law may sell such water without prior written permission or special agreement

Aviation workers to hear outcome of pay dispute

By Nadia Samie20 December 2006

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) employees will hear today if their demands over bonuses will be met.

The dispute, between the Civil Aviation Authority and the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu), comes after workers embarked on strike action, following a decision by the aviation authority to only pay bonuses in March 2007. The two parties met with a private arbitrator to discuss the matter on Monday.

The workers want at least 15 percent of their bonuses in lieu of full payment. Strike action has been discontinued pending the outcome of the private arbitrator’s decision today.

Traffic officers deployed over the festive season

Despite heavy traffic following the closing last week of factories, building companiesand other large employers, officials report an encouragingly uneventful wekend on Western Cape roads.

"The death toll on the roads in the province since December 1 had risen to 51 by the 17th of December", said Makhaya Mani, spokesperson for the MEC of community safety.

A focus will be on the N1 and N2 highways leading into and out fo the province.

"We've been holding ocmpulsory stop-and-search point to determine whether drivers are complying with regulations. We're checking things such as brakes, tyres, lights and steering mechanisms", said Ntau Letebele, spokesperson for the department of transport.

Although figures were unavailable, officials at the N1 Huguenot Tunnel tollgate outside Paarl reported a huge increase in traffic.

The department of transport has advised drivers to stop regurlarly to rest and exercise which relieves fatigue, and improves blood circulation and the ability to concentrate.

Letebele said that 7 500 traffic officers, with help from the police, have been deplyed nationally to cope with the increase in traffic.

Pool accident at day mother's house claims toddler's life

A toddler has died and another little boy is in a critical condition after the two boys fell into a swimming pool on Friday afternoon.

The incident occurred at their day mother’s home in Grassy Park in Cape Town.

The two boys both aged one-years-old were playing together when the incident happened.

Red Cross Children’s Hospital spokesperson Diana Ross confirmed to the Weekend Argus that one boy died soon after being admitted and the other is in a serious condition and is currently on life support.

Samwu still threatens to strike if demands not met

A call for strike action has been made by members South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samvu).

This the after the city council refused to stop its controversial placement and grading process.

Samvu spokesperson Lance Veotte says that if the meeting scheduled for early next week does not resolve; the union could call a strike with in the next few days.

The Weekend Argus reports that metro police have threatened to block the N1 and N2 with patrol vehicles if the city does not stop the process. They have demanded the council not to decrease their salaries if they accept new positions in terms of the alignment and amalgamation process.

Members have now given the union a mandate to call a strike because the city has failed to resolve their grieviences.

Friday, December 15, 2006

The year that was… 2006

We take a retrospective look at 2006 in News headlines… what made you stark-raving mad this year, what really upset you, what brought a lump to your throat or a smile to your face?

Mail and Guardian editorFerial Haffajee chats with Nadia Samie about what dominated the headlines in 2006...

NS: You’re tuned to Bush Radio 89.5fm. On the line now we have Ferial Haffajee, the editor of the Mail and Guardian newspaper, to talk about the news in 2006 in retrospect. Welcome to Bush Radio, Ferial.

FH: Thank you, Nadia.

NS: To start off with, a very strong candidate for Newsmaker of the year is Jacob Zuma. We had the rape trial in earlier in the year, and more recently, the corruption trial. In both cases, the media came in for heavy criticism. As the editor of one of the papers that was on the forefront of breaking news in this case, what is your take on that?

FH: I think that it’s always the instinct of people who are under the uncomfortable spotlight of the public to blame the media because we are the way in which the story is told. But I do think that there is no other local contender for that title, it’s got to be Mr Jacob Zuma.

NS: We can’t talk about the Zuma trial, or trials, without talking about Shabier Shaik. Do you think justice has been done?

FH: I don’t know if the judgement would have happened without the constant glare of the media for several years into the arms deal and all its various fall-outs because of course it was within that, that the allegations against Mr Shabier Shaik began to happen and that we as a nation began to explore corruption, cronyism, etc. This was the biggest case we’ve yet had to deal with. So yes, I do think that justice has been seen to be done. It is of course very sad that Mr Shaik suffered a stroke shortly after being imprisoned. I don’t think he ever thought that that would happen to him.

NS: To move on Ferial… we also had the death of Die Groot Krokodil. What do you think of the way our president, Thabo Mbeki reacted to his death?

FH: Well, I suppose the president did the thing that is to be expected, because as a country we chose the path of reconciliation rather than of violent revolution or overthrow of government. There were no Nuremberg Trials at which people like the Krokodil were brought to justice of any form. But if there’s are two images that tell the ongoing story of reconciliation it would be the president and his wife as among the very few number of black people at PW Botha’s funeral. But of course the other image for me was very much Adriaan Vlok washing the feet of Rev. Frank Chikane.

NS: That garnered quite a lot of interest as well. What do you think was the real reason behind that gesture? Was it a guilty conscience, after all the man is getting old now, or do you think we had a genuine situation of him feeling remorse?

FH: I do think that it is very much the case of someone preparing to face his maker as he gets on in years, and possibly coloured by the outcome of 13 years of democracy, where there has been, lets face it, very little inter-racial violence. He of course didn’t make a big hoorah or song and dance about it, he didn’t call the media, it was Frank Chikane who first let on, and only afterwards did the media found out that he had done the same for the mothers of the Mamelodi ten who were killed. So I do think that this was a private act of absolution and redemption and there was a certain genuineness about it that we have to… respect.

NS: Lets talk about HIV/Aids now. We’ve just had World Aids day recently. It’s been an interesting year in this regard… we’ve seen the deputy president, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and the deputy health minister, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, take a very strong stance… something of an alliance was formed with the TAC… a relationship that was almost impossible with the minister of health, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang. Do you think we’ve made positive strides in 2006 in the battle against HIV/Aids?FH: I think that there’s been a political turning point, where, I think for the first time you’re seeing a little bit of sense being spoken in the cabinet, we’re people are showing empathy. We’ve had the deputy health minister of health actually saying that she is very worried, and she’s experienced this as many young people in her family have succumbed and have died… we saw her publicly taking an Aids test as well. So yes, it has ended on a more poitive note than other World Aids Days that have taken place in South Africa. Of course I think the jury is still out. I do thin k that the health minister, with all her tactics of beetroots and lemons has the quiet support of the president, and I don’t think we’ve seen the last kicks from her yet.

NS: Interestingly recently we had the president refusing to take a public HIV test. What do you think about that?

FH: I think that’s quite in keeping with the president’s stance. I think now he’s just withdrawn into a solemn silence on HIV/Aids because he’s never quite managed to convince the country of his argument, a man who believes that he’s not going to provide the type of leadership which you’ve seen from the president’s of Senegal and Botswana in their countries.

NS: And bringing it back to the Western Cape… the Richard Dyantyi/Helen Zille issue also garnered a lot of news coverage, in the battle over the leadership style in the metro. What’s your take on that… do you think the matter has been settled… or might we see it flare up again?

FH: Well I do think that perhaps in the Western Cape, the Mayor Helen Zille competes with Jacob Zuma for the highest number of headlines this year. She won the elections, she became mayor, and then very soon afterwards, she faced the potential stripping of her role by the ANC in the Western Cape. I think that it’s been amicably settled for now. But as a Jozi person watching your province and your city I must say that nothing is ever set in stone for very long.

NS: And then more recently… we’ve just had same-sex marriages legalised in the country… South Africa has become the first African country to take this step, and we are one of very few in the world… what has this done for the image of our country?

FH: It was quite a wonderful moment, where once again we will make full use of our constitution and we’ll say that love knows no boundaries, and people must be allowed to love, and indeed to marry whoever they want to. Of course this has raised several eyebrows in the rest of Africa, but it confirms that we are trailblazers and that South Africans will live to their full potential.

NS: Before you go Ferial, what has this year been like for you… if you can wrap up your year in headlines in a nutshell, what kind of year has it been?

FH: (laughs) It’s been mostly I suppose, if anything characterises the M&G’s year, it’s been the year of gags. We were in court about three or four times this year, facing various interdict attempts, most of them were unsuccessful, so we also end the year on quite a happy note. When I look back at our headlines that readers have enjoyed, it clearly was the year in which the analysis of Mr Jacob Zuma dominated. But hopefully we’ve also done other cool things, like profile up and coming people like Lebo Mashile, I really enjoyed the interview with her, and we’ve made it our mission to watch for up and coming young talents. In June we did 100 young South Africans you have to take to lunch, and in our final edition next week, we do the country’s hot 100 list of people you have to watch in 2007.

NS: Great, something to look out for… Ferial Haffajee, the editor of the Mail & Guardian, thank you for your time.

FH: Thank you Nadia.* This interview was broadcast on Bush Radio 89.5fm on Thursday 15 December 2006.

Mzoli's daughter knew her two kidnap suspects

By Odette Ismail15 December 2006The two suspect’s involved in the kidnapping of Gugulethu restaurateur Mzoli Ngcawuzele’s daughter is apparently known to the family.

Police arrested two men and two women yesterday after Sisanda Ngcawuzele was found in a flat in the Table View suburb of Parklands. According to reports, she was found with her hands and feet tied.

It is believed that one of the suspects works at radio station Heart 104.9. A friend of the radio station employee says that the woman is 23-years-old. She was not an on-air personality.

The friend said she started out at the station as an intern, and worked her way up to an account executive position. The woman has since been relieved of her duties at the station, pending the outcome of the investigation. The other one works at a bank.

Ngcawuzele told the Cape Argus that he knows the women arrested, as they visited his restaurant. He says he received two phone calls for the ransom money of R300 000, but they were from men.

Ngcawuzele received trauma counselling and has been treated for dehydration.

Community Information Network

11 December 2006-15 December 2006# The Langa Tennis Club invites everyone to volunteer in the club’s clean- up campaign at the Langa Tennis Court. The aim of this campaign is to revive the state of tennis as an active sport within the Langa Community, and to showcase some of the future tennis stars. The clean up will take place on Saturday 16 December 2006 starting at 9 am and ending in the afternoon around 1 o’ clock. We request anyone to help in donating food and drinks for the volunteers during the clean- up campaign. You can bring your own cleaning equipment. For more details please contact: Siviwe : 084 725 7627 or Siphelo: 073 342 9142.

# Frendz will be presenting a karaoke at the Weltevreden Recreation Centre on Friday, 15 December. The cost is R20. Call 392 5132.

# Showbuzz Promos is offering guarenteed contracts in Spain to the appropriate candidates for various tribute acts. If you can sing and move to the grooves call Giempie Vardien on 762 2772 from 8am to 8pm to book an audition and for more details.

# A Cape Municipal Council nurses reunion will be held on Saturday December 16, from 10am to 6pm, at the Lotus River community hall in 6th Avenue. Call Lilla on 762 0410.

# The oaks of Righteousness Foundation based in Strandfontein, has started an after school programme for youth in the Bayview area. The after care service, which is free, is for young people between 11 and 18 years, and operates from Monday to Thursday from 3pm to 6pm and from 1pm to 4pm on Fridays. For more information or to register for the programme, call Wendy Dennis at 393 5149 or 073 921 8512 or Peter Cornelius on 083 331 2681

# Milnerton Players will be staging Geraldine Aaron’s hilariuos comedy My brilliant divorce in March 2007 and is looking for people interested in being part of the production. If you have a yearning to” tread the boards” and be part of a creative process,contact Sheila McCormick on 557 3206 or the director Jeremy Blackburn on 082 940

# Eric Miles Chesire Home’s clothing shop for the disabled at 18 Corsair Road, Sanddrift is open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am to 3pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm. Donations of good second-hand clothing and bric-a-brac are most appreciated. For details, call Melanie on 083 543 6272.

# De Grendel Lions Club are collecting second-hand soft toys for traumatised and abused children. If you can help, call Malcolm Stuppel on 082 348 1891 or Liz Wilkie on email: lizwilkie@lancewood.co.za or call 939 0001 for details.

If you have any information for the CIN team regarding events happening in your community, please contact us at 021 – 448 54 50 or fax us at 021 – 448 54 51. Alternatively, e-mail us at news@bushradio.co.za. You can also call us here at Bush Radio if you have missed any of the numbers mentioned.

Former ANC chief whip expelled

By Tarryn Le Chat 15 December 2006African National Congress (ANC) Chief Whip Mbulelo Goniwe has been expelled from the party with immediate effect after a committee found him guilty of sexual harassment.

Professor Kadar Asmal, who chaired the committee, said that it was a ‘painful and difficult’ decision. The board, which consisted of Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Susan Shabangu and Luwellyn Landers, came to a decision after six hours of deliberation.

As a result, Goniwe would no longer be a member of parliament, nor would he serve as the ANC’s Chief Whip.

“The DA believes that the sexual harassment charges against Goniwe are serious. However, the ANC should explain how convicted Travelgate criminals are sill sitting in Parliament”, said Gibson.

Patrick Craven, National spokesperson for Cosatu says they welcome the decision by the ANC. “We have full confidence that the committee would not have come to this conclusion unless there was very clear evidence that Goniwe was guilty of serious misconduct”, he said.

Asmal said the case had been treated as a priority because it involved “a young woman of 21 years and a very senior member f the ANC”.

The National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) had accepted Njongo’s evidence as “credible and acceptable”, said Asmal.

It was on these grounds that Goniwe had been found guilty of the first charge, abuse of office to obtain sexual and other undue advantage, under the ANC constitution.

Pedestrian knocked over in Goodwood

Early this morning a pedestrian was knocked over in Voortrekker main road, in Goodwood.

The woman was standing in the middle of the road waiting to cross. The vehicle that knocked over the pedestrian was traveling at high speed. It all happened in a split second.

As the pedestrian was crossing the road, the vehicle hit the woman. She flew back on impact, to the left side of the road.

The injured woman was lying in the road during morning rush-hour traffic, with her clothes torn. The woman wasn’t moving. The truck drove off and could not stop, as it was traveling at such high speed.

The ambulance and police were contacted to assist the woman. She started moving a bit.

When the taxi and passengers began to drive off, facing Cape Town, the truck that knocked over the pedestrian returned to the scene.

ANC MK commemoration event in Atlantis

15 December 2006

The ANC Dullah Omar Region will be commemorating fallen Umkhonto we Sizwe and other heroes and heroines of the struggle by cleaning some of their graves at Atlantis Cemetery in Old Darling Road, Atlantis, on Saturday, 16th December 2006 at 9AM.

At 11:30AM a Commemoration Service and mini-Rally will take place at the Rebecca van Amsterdam Hall, Keria Avenue, Protea Park, and Atlantis. It will be addressed by Whitey Jacobs, a member of the Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC and the MEC for Sports and Culture.

ANC Regional Secretary Mbulelo Ncedana says the key theme of the event is, “honouring the sacrifices of our people in the struggle against apartheid, by fighting for a better life for all.”

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Job creation too slow - Cosatu

Nadia Samie14 December 2006

The Congress of South African Trade Unions has lashed out at the slow rate of job creation in South Africa. Seventy-three thousand new jobs were created in the formal sector in the third quarter of 2006, and Cosatu says that this figure is nowhere near realising government’s intended target to half unemployment by 2014.

COSATU said in a statement that it is alarmed that too few of the new jobs are in the key manufacturing sectors, and that far too many of them are of a low quality: low-paid, insecure, casual, and even survivalist forms of employment.

The trade union federation says the pattern in the past year means that the working poor is a growing proportion of the workforce, while the proportion with quality jobs is declining.

The economy must be developed in a way that does not just enrich the already wealthy business people, but accelerates growth, shares the benefits of that growth, creates jobs, eradicates poverty and improves the lives of all South Africans.

A child in sports is a child out of court - MEC

By Tarryn Le Chat14 December 2006

Whitey Jacobs, MEC for sports and culture honoured legendary sporting heroes of all races and religions at the legendary sports award. The ceremony took place at the Cathkin Caterers Hall in Rylands today.

The proceedings started off with the national anthem being sung and festivities of marimba vibrations, Latin dancing and the presentation of these various sporting legends with their awards.

The sports were table tennis, hockey, soccer, rugby and darts.

Jacobs said that, “Sports is what unites people. It brings together all races, religions and sexes. A sport in two forms is non-racialism and non-sexism. A child in sports is a child out of the courts.”

“A march will be taking place this Sunday at 12 noon. It will begin (in Greenpoint) and continue to Sea Point where a peaceful demonstration will take place. The demonstration is against the 19 residents who do not want Green Point Stadium to be built on for the 2010 Soccer World Cup”, said Jacobs.

Cash van guards threaten to strike

By Chanel September14 December 2006

Cash-in-transit guards are threatening to strike if the demands they have put forward are not met.

Officials from the Motor Transport Allied Workers Union (MTUW), the Federation of Unions of SA (FEDUSA), National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) are to meet their demands for safer working conditions.

The guards want Safety and Security Minister Charles Nquakula to set up minimum standards for the industry and better equipped cash vans fitted with a proper vault, locking system and air-conditioning.

Emlie Fourie spokesperson for MTWU says that an urgent meeting of union employers, Nedlac and officials from the departments of Labour, Transport, Finance, Safety and Security are scheduled to meet next week.

A daily newspaper reports that the unions fear that the robberies will increase during the festive season.

Aerial water bombing campaign extended

The aerial water bombing campaign has been extended to the Western Cape to address the huge problem of shack fires.

Disaster Risk Manager, Johan Minnie says this is a joint operation between Working on Fire, the City of Cape Town, the Department of Water Affairs and forestry and SANTAM.

The project has been expanded so that more informal settlements can be under surveillance during the fire season.

Two additional cameras have been added at the top of Sir Lowry’s Pass and the other one on Constantia Peak. Other areas such as Athlone Towers, Tygerberg Hills and Paapegaaiberge in Stellenbosch will receive extended cameras.

The ability to activate aerial fire and ground fighting operations for shack fires across the Cape Peninsula, to Stellenbosch, a section of the False Bay coast, Noordhoek gap and the West Coast will now take effect.

14 000 people were left homeless due to shack fires between December 2004 and January 2005 in the Western Cape.

Irate metro police and traffic officers warned that Cape Town could be in chaos over the festive season on Tuesday. This statement comes about if the city ignores their demands to revise the pay parity structures and conditions of employment currently being put in place.

They have given the city until Thursday afternoon to respond to a memorandum, handed over on Tuesday by a delegation of the South African Municipal workers’ Union (Samwu), calling for the freezing of the city’s restructuring until a new decision is reached at the bargaining council.

If the city refuses, frustrated metro police and traffic officers have vowed to take action “that could destabilise the city”.

Metro police officers later threatened to blockade first the N2, then the N1, if their demands were not met.

City manager, Achmat Ebrahim said that as with any organisational change, there would be errors. Time should be allowed for the process to be finalised and the city is taking serious note of the officer’s frustrations.

Andre Adams of Samwu said the treatment of city employees by management ‘was not in good faith’.

Charges dropped against TAC

Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) activists, including chairperson Zackie Achmat, rejoiced outside the Cape Town Magistrates Court on Monday when charges against them were dropped.

Chanting and singing, the activists said they were happy with the outcome after Magistrate S Norman withdrew trespass charges.

They were arrested in August after they occupied the offices of the Western Cape provincial government. The activists were calling for the head of Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and for a national crisis meeting to develop a new HIV and Aids programme.

As the protest was deliberately illegal, police used pepper spray on some of the activists who tried to force their way to Health MEC Pierre Uys’s office. TAC claimed it was tired of government’s failure to act on HIV and Aids.

However, the struggle is not over as the TAC and the Aids Law Project (ALP) meet with the department of correctional services on Wednesday over the thorny issue of providing anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment to inmates who need them.

Earlier this week, Deputy Health Minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge’s had critised both the Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and President Thabo Mbeki on the confusing statements over aids and treatment.

Madlala-Routledge criticised those who encouraged traditional medicines as opposed to conventional treatment.

Report shows causes of conflict in the Cape

By Chanel September12 December 2006

According to the Provincial African Peer Review Mechanism the lack of access to basic services, the influx of refugees and the internal migration of people from the Eastern Cape are some of the causes of most conflicts in the Western Cape.

The final report states that tension, violence and conflict in the province derive from a number of sources.

A daily newspaper reports conflict caused by organised crime involved gangsterism, taxi violence, marine poaching and xenophobic conflicts between provinces in South Africa were at the top.

Class and racial division were however found to be one of the biggestproblems.

Manenberg celebrates homecoming festival

A campaign to rid Manenberg of its ghetto image is getting results. Residents say crime is down, their streets are much safer, and more people are starting to take pride in their neighbourhood.

At the weekend thousands of men, women and children celebrated at a Manenberg homecoming festival that included walking and cycling, live music and sports.

Families camped out on pavements as youth bands paraded through the streets. The event — which ended last night — including the switching on of the area’s Christmas lights. It was all part of the Proudly Manenberg Campaign (PMC), launched last year by residents and community groups.

Since the launch in September last year, PMC has given six students’ bursaries and a cleaning project has been launched.

Community Information Network

o4 December 2006 - 08 December 2006

# Proudly Manenberg brings you the "Home Coming festival" from Saturday 09th December and Friday December the 15. The venue will be Manenberg's public open space. Events such as street sports at 09h00 till 18h00 a "Arts and Culture" evening at Manenberg’s people centre, Township tour fun run and walk. The programme features artist like D’low, Poseletso, Afri Fiesta and Mamela to mention a few and the switching on of Christmas lights on the last day the "Proudly Manenberg Sports Awards".

# Big Brothers Big Sister of South Africa provides mentoring programme for youth in need or at risk, needs adult volunteers to mentor children for an hour a week. Call (021) 551 7996 or email makeadifference@bbbssa

# The Oaks of Righteous Foundation – based in Strandfontein – has started an after school programme for youth in the Bayview area. Their free aftercare service is for young people between the age of 11 and 18-yeas old, and operates from Mondays to Thursday’s, from 3pm to 6pm, and from 1pm to 4pm on Fridays. For more information contact Wendy Dennis at (021) 393 5149 or 073 921 8512 or Peter Cornelius at 083 331 2681.

# Juvenetics School of Dance will be having a Night of the Stars evening and all Style Dance Competition on Saturday December 9th at 2pm. Junior and senior groups may enter. Supporters pay R20 at the door. For details call (021) 392 5727

# Konek will be hosting a cross-cultural youth life skills camp for 100 disadvantaged youth from Ottery and greater Grassy Park in Zeekoevlei from Wednesday December the 6th to Sunday the 10th. The community is encouraged to sponsor R140 for each child or part of it. Call (021) 703 7942 or 073 167 7220.

# Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Monday at 8pm at the corner of 6th avenue and Kommetjie Road, Fish Hoek. For more information phone Jimmy at (021) 789 2303.

# The Cape Flats YMCA in Pisa Close, Portland, will be running a holiday club at their offices and the Farm recreational centre from December 4th until December the 8th between 10am and 2pm. For details call (021) 391 1096 or (021) 391 0564.

# The Weltevreden recreational centre will be having a holiday programme from Monday December 4th till Friday December 22ndfrom 7am until 4:30 pm, the programme includes outings, costs only R25. for details call (021) 392 5132.

If you have any information for the CIN team regarding events happening in your community, please contact us at 021 – 448 54 50 or fax us at 021 – 448 54 51. Alternatively, e-mail us at news@bushradio.co.za. You can also call us here at Bush Radio if you have missed any of the numbers mentioned.

More than 70 arrested in KZN roadblocks

By Chanel September16 December 2006

Today more than 70 people, including 66 drunk drivers, were arrested on different roadblocks on KwaZulu-Natal roads.

Spokesperson Rajen Chinaboo says that the roadblocks were conducted on the N3 at Mooi River, on the Higginson highway in Durban and on the M5 at Stapleton Road in Pinetown.Six foreign vehicles were arrested and six warrants of arrests were issued for unpaid traffic fines.

News 24 reports that roadblocks are multi-disciplinary operations, conducted in conjunction with the police, local and metro traffic departments.

Festive season road accidents

By Chanel September8 December 2006

More than 200 people have been killed in road accidents around the country since the start of the festive season. Spokesperson for the department Ntau Letebele says that 215 people were killed in 189 accidents in just six days.

According to a daily newspaper the highest number of accidents was reported in Kwa-Zulu Natal with 41 occurring before December the 1’st. In the Western Cape 21 accidents have been reported.

Letebele says that 90% of the fatalities are due to bad behaviour and attitude.

Motortist have been urged by the department to obey traffic rules and to ensure that everybody in the vehicle are using a safety belt.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Sexual abuse accounts for domestic violence cases

Twenty-five percent of these cases include forced sex in front of children according to UCT researcher Lillian Artz.

At least 40 percent of domestic violence survivors have been threatened with death by their abusive partners or ex-partners in almost half these cases.

A study found that four women a day were murdered by their intimate partners. Verbal and psychological abuse is also a strong feature of the mentioned, with verbal abuse at 85 percent and psychological abuse following closely at 83 percent.

The impact of domestic violence is so severe that 86 percent of survivors reported symptoms of psychological stress, trauma and anxiety.

Southern African Media and Gender Institute (Samgi) will facilitate the training of select group inmates on how to use basic computer programmes, while simultaneously educating them about gender issues and respect for women.

Finance and Tourism MEC Lynne Brown says that for the juveniles’ computer skills could enable them to play and active role in society.

City proposes plan to police township tours

The city of Cape Town has requested that township tour operators create fixed routes to be patrolled by Metro Police.

This comes after recent robberies on tourists which includes 40 Dutch tourists. The group were visiting Langa on a tour of the township, according to the Cape Argus.

Dumisani Ximbi, mayoral committee member for Safety and Security, confirms that a meeting will take place with township tour operators, Cape Town Routes Unlimited and other township hospitality stakeholders.

He says that tour routes need to be policed as the city is seen as a tourist destination. Ximbi says the township tours brings money in and helps disadvantaged areas of the city.

The council does want not visitors to be afraid after the attacks last week and have mainstream destinations restricted.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

City drivers issued with a stern warning

Western Cape drivers have been issued with a stern warning from traffic officials that they mean business in preparation for the bumper festive season.

Although roads are still relatively quiet traffic officials are expecting an influx of motorists as the festive season peaks.

Spokesperson for Community Safety in the Western Cape Makhaya Mani says that to curb accidents and problems experienced on roads a number of roadblocks and stop and search operations were already underway along the N1, N2 and N7.

A daily newspaper reports that as part of the Arrive Alive campaign 3500 traffic officials have been deployed to monitor the province’s roads.

Mani added that the biggest problem was drinking and driving, the overloading of minibus taxis and fatigue drivers.

Suspect released on bail after murder of teacher

A man facing charges of murdering a Kraaifontein school teacher has been released on R800 bail. He faces charges of murder, theft and robbery.

Aubrey Classen appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s court last week, after Eddy Munisi, a teacher at Masibambane High school in Bloekombos was found dead in Mfuleni, with a belt around his neck.

Claasen's attorney, according to a daily paper, told the court that his client cannot sit in jail for a crime he doesn’t know anything about.

An investigating officer also stated that R3 200 was taken of Munisi’s account, at a Goodwood ATM , two hours after he was last seen alive. He says another amount of R1 500 was withdrawn in Eersteriver two days later.

Officer Bertie Mong says he watched a video of a man wearing a Khaki jacket at the Goodwood ATM. It is believed blood had been seen on the man’s sleeve.

A jacket was found in Claasen’s best friend’s house, Eugene Skei. It is alleged that Claasen borrowed the jacket from Skei.

Bail has been granted due to no direct evidence linking the accused to the crime. The case has been postponed to next year March.